Former chief executive of Caudwell Group sold his 85% stake to private equity in 2006, netting himself $2.3 billion; company later changed name to Phones4U. Went from selling used cars to clunky cell phones in 1987, shopping just 26 devices in the first eight months from his store in Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent. Caudwell Group sales reached $3.6 billion in 2005, the last year he headed the company. Now spends most of his time managing and fundraising for his Caudwell Children charity and investing in start-up companies. In January threw a 40th birthday bash complete with Diana Ross performance for long-time girlfriend Claire Johnson, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 but beat it off. Avid sportsman scaled Mt. Everest and used to pedal 14 miles to work on his bike. Now lives in large Jacobean mansion in Staffordshire, with homes in London and France.